‘It pushes them away’: Decline in rooming houses impacts affordable housing options in Halifax

Affordable housing is a widespread issue throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality and according to the city, a decline in ‘traditional rooming houses’  is adding to its challenges.

“I think the areas where those rooming houses were, it was no longer viable, and it’s more cost effective to build a large apartment building than to have a small rooming house,” said Matt Covey, the Halifax Division Chief of Fire Prevention.

Covey is part of the city staff group directed by council to review landlord licensing and other affordable housing solutions.

He says the ‘future’ of rooming houses are on their radar.

“Rooming houses or just room rental accommodations, are definitely part of the conversation. Part of the conversation with where they’re going to be and what they’re going to look like in the future,” Covey said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Rooming houses or just room rental accommodations, are definitely part of the conversation. Part of the conversation with where they're going to be and what they're going to look like in the future," Covey said.

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Covey says over the past 10 years, there’s been a gradual decline in rooming house options.

“In 2007 there was 35, 10 years later there is 19,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In 2007 there was 35, 10 years later there is 19," he said.

That decline is concerning to affordable housing advocates who say people could end up on the streets.

“When you eliminate rooming houses from the mix of housing options, there’s not much left for those people beyond shelters and homelessness,” said Kevin Hooper, homelessness & housing facilitator with United Way Halifax.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When you eliminate rooming houses from the mix of housing options, there's not much left for those people beyond shelters and homelessness," said Kevin Hooper, homelessness & housing facilitator with United Way Halifax.

Hooper adds rooming houses are a ‘lifeline’ for many people being ‘pushed out of the core’ by urban development.

“It’s a good option for people who don’t have many options, when it comes down to it. I don’t think there’s a ton of people who would prefer that but the truth is there’s a lot of people who don’t have many choices,” said Hopper.

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In the early 2000s, the municipality introduced a ‘rooming house bylaw’ with a focus on safety.

“The rooming house bylaw basically regulates the rooming house form and adds additional safety measures and it requires licensing and ongoing inspections,” Covey said.

Covey says licensed rooming houses hardly cause any issues and the focus is now is on large family homes being converted into single room rentals.

He says although they appear to be rooming houses they aren’t licensed as such. Often the property they’re on doesn’t have a land use bylaw that allows rooming houses.

“There’s a room here and there’s a room there and upstairs and it really wasn’t designed to be a rooming house and so the safety systems, also are definitely not designed for that kind of use,” Covey said.

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Covey says reviewing the regulations is part of the discussion the city is undertaking on the affordable housing front.

“I think the biggest problem is present regulation. They’re not allowed in places where they would be viable and so we have to modify the laws to accommodate that need, while still keeping in line with the community needs.”